


Chapter 17: A Brief Infatuation

by Transposable_Element



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Elementary (TV), The Rose and The Ring - William Makepeace Thackeray
Genre: Dragon!Sherlock - Freeform, Gen, magic rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 21:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4640949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transposable_Element/pseuds/Transposable_Element
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Professor Scrubb happens upon a magical ring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chapter 17: A Brief Infatuation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adaese](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adaese/gifts), [rthstewart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rthstewart/gifts), [Syrena_of_the_lake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrena_of_the_lake/gifts), [Heliopause](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heliopause/gifts).



> [Previous chapter](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4303617)

Blackstick’s study was dark and cluttered, and Joan watched bemusedly while the “fairy” (she couldn’t help thinking of the word in scare quotes) bustled around, looking for something she said was essential to their predicament. Joan found a small desk chair and pulled it over into a corner so as to sit out of her way. Sherlock perched on her shoulder warily. But Professor Scrubb, as she had already observed, had no inhibitions, and he prowled around the room poking into drawers and cubbyholes, picking up and examining various strange objects—crucibles, prisms, an astrolabe, and many others that Joan couldn’t identify.

The professor slipped his forefinger into a small gold ring and held it up to the light, peering at it.

Joan blinked. She blinked again. How was it possible that she had not noticed before this how _extremely_ attractive the professor was? She had always appreciated mature men, and all right, he was quite a bit more “mature” than she usually went for, but really, he was very fit for a man his age and had such nice eyes and was sweet and entertaining in a weird sort of way—

Sherlock scratched her arm with one claw. “Ouch,” she said absently. He leaned over and nipped the back of her hand. “Ouch! Sherlock, cut it out!” she said. 

_Watson, desist! Something is very wrong with you. I suspect you’ve been drugged_ , said Sherlock’s voice in her head.

_Don’t be ridiculous. I’m fine,_  she replied, gazing lovingly at the professor. What was his name? Eustace. Such a beautiful name…

Just then the “fairy” grabbed at Professor Scrubb’s hand. “Here, give me that. Don’t you know what that is?”

The professor eluded her, holding his hand out of her reach. “Oh, is it _that_ ring? Fascinating.” He glanced at Joan and held her eye for a second. Joan nearly melted. He was so _cute_!

“Yes, and it’s caused no end of trouble over the years! Give it back.”

“Oh, come now,” said Professor Scrubb. “At my age I need all the help I can get! I won’t abuse it, you know.”

“Give it to me right now, you nasty old pervert!”

Joan gasped. _How dare she speak to the professor like that!_

_Watson, snap out of it!_ Sherlock was sounding very worried now.

“Oh, I say, I wasn't being serious,” said Professor Scrubb, sounding rather hurt. Then he sighed and handed the ring to the “fairy.”

Joan blinked. She blinked again. She shook her head, trying to clear it. _Oh my god, what was I thinking?_

_All better now?_ asked Sherlock.

_I think so. What the hell happened?_

_I’ll tell you as soon as I have it figured out_ , he said discontentedly. _Honestly, Watson, this whole debacle is maddening!_

“…but if that’s the case then why don’t you destroy it?” the professor was asking the “fairy.”

“Do you think I haven’t tried? You know how difficult it can be to destroy magical rings. If only there was a volcano hereabouts.”

“Well…” said Professor Scrubb thoughtfully, “I’m going to be in Hawaii for a few days next month, for a conference on invasive species. I could chuck it in Mauna Loa if you like.”

“As if I’d trust you with it!” 

Scrubb shrugged. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been since a young lady looked at me like that?” 

Sherlock squawked. It sounded to Joan like a laugh. _Never before, is my guess_ , he said.

**Author's Note:**

> I posted my NFE story, and then this just sort of happened....


End file.
